The system described in this subsection was developed to help students determine their priorities, provide and receive feedback, and encourage successful research and learning attitudes and behaviors.
Each student is also assigned a level, according to his or her skills, as described below. Level classification is open to all lab members. During tenure in the lab, students know what to do in order to advance to higher level, know who might be able to answer their questions, and who can be a mentor or mentee on individual projects.
The Excel files with student levels and performance are stored on the SEAL internal website. A reasonable expectation is for graduate students to reach levels 4 and 5 and for undergraduates to reach levels 3 and 4 by the end of their tenure in SEAL.
Higher-level students have priority when shared resources are assigned (e.g. desks) and when decisions are made. Higher performance students have priority when scholarships, conference trips, and other perks are distributed.
Level
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Experimental and theoretical research
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Technical writing skills
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Management skills
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1
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Can perform the experiments with some guidance and instructions. Can print experimental results and observe trends. Has basic knowledge of college math. Has taken undergraduate classes in the field of specialization. Has a general idea about the project needs, goals, and motivation.
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Can perform literature search as described in this Guide. Can write a basic report. Has basic knowledge of technical English.
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Has read this Guide and passed the quiz.
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2
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Can design experimental procedures with existing equipment. Close familiarity with equipment, computers, and specialized software. Can understand research papers in the field of specialization. Can compare theory and experimental results.
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Can prepare high quality reports and presentations. Familiar with all software packages used in the lab for technical writing,. Can use cross-referencing techniques. Can generate high quality figures and tables. Has read Generic Report stored on SEAL internal website and viewed Typesetting, the SEAL videotape series.
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Have read all materials in the SEAL Resources web page,
http://www.ee.washington.edu/ research/seal/resources/
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3
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Can alter, design, construct, and troubleshoot experimental setups based on need, conduct signal processing and data analysis. Has a good knowledge of error analysis. Has extensive knowledge about state of the art.
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Can independently write a conference paper. Understands audience expectations, paper structure, selection of references, and balance of material. Does not make writing blunders covered in Strunk and White, familiar with Michael Alley’s Craft.
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Can effectively supervise a small research team, ensuring high productivity and quality of results.
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4
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Can propose novel experimental setups and oversee their development, in the field of specialization. Can meaningfully evaluate and criticize papers written by others. Has a full mastery of theoretical background in the field. Can propose extensions to existing theory.
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Can independently write a journal paper, reply to reviews, and make changes. Creates elegant technical prose. Does not make mistakes covered in 10 Lessons on Clarity and Grace.
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Can lead a large multi-disciplinary research team. Made significant contributions to SEAL improvement.
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5
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Can design multi-disciplinary experimental setups and procedures. Can generate results of seminal significance to the field based on individual contributions to the research in the lab. Has thorough knowledge of the field of specialization and related fields.
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Can write a paper, a proposal, a book article, and so on. Can effectively edit and formally review work of others.
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Can envision and create a multi-disciplinary research team.
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7.4. Status based on performance
“Status” is different from “Level.” Level is defined mostly by the degree of expertise. Status is defined by the student performance (effort, organization, and responsibility). Graduate students are assigned one of the three status grades in the beginning of each quarter. The assignment takes place in a private meeting with the advisor about one month before the quarter starts. A discussion defining the goals and deadlines for the quarter will take place in this meeting as well.
Status
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Interpretation
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Implications
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A
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Excellent performance in the previous quarter
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- Failure to meet deadlines in the subsequent quarter will result in a downgrade to the lower level.
- Student does not have to report working hours.
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B
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Acceptable performance in the previous quarter
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- Failure to meet deadlines in the subsequent quarter may result either in downgrade or request to leave the lab.
- Student has to report weekly cumulative working hours. There is no imposed restriction on where the student will work.
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C
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Student is getting dangerously close to failing the program and the remedial actions represent the last attempt of recovery
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- Failure to meet deadlines in the subsequent quarter will result in a request to leave the lab.
- Student has to work in his or her assigned working space. Prior to each week, the student will submit a time sheet of expected working hours. Random checks will be conducted to see if the student follows the schedule. The working hours are to be used for the project work only, not for classes or other activities.
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The undergraduate students are not assigned status grades by the lab director. If the graduate student chooses so, the undergraduates may receive similar grades assigned by their graduate student supervisor.
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